Wire guide and tuckers for wire cloth looms



June 22, 1965 G. E. MECKLEY 3,190,316

WIRE GUIDE AND TUCKER-S FOR WIRE CLOTH LQOMS Filed Dec. 26, 1962 I 8 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. GEORGE Ev MECKLEY A TTORNEY June 22, 1965 G. E. MECKLEY WIRE GUIDE AND TUCKERS FOR WIRE CLOTH LOOMS 8 Sheets-Sheet 2- Filed Dec. 26, 1962 NQE -H u n 1 V w m INVENTOR.

GEORGE E. MECKLEY ATTORNEY June 22, 1965 s. E. MECKLEY 3,190,316

WIRE GUIDE AND TUCKERS FOR WIRE CLOTH LOOMS Filed Dec. 26. 1962 8 Sheets-Sheet S FIGZA FIGS GUIDE FINGE \TO GUIDE FINGER '7 7e mum EXTEND OPEN CLOSE CAM M 3 INVENTOR.

GEORGE E MECKLEY June 22, 1965 G. E. MECKLEY WIRE GUIDE AND TUCKERS FOR WIRE CLOTH LOOMS 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Dec. 26, 1962 2N mv om NNN GEORGE E. MECKLEY ATTORNEY June 22, 1965 ca. E. MECKLEY WIRE GUIDE AND TUCKERS FOR WIRE CLOTH LOOMS Filed Dec. 26, 1962 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR.

TORNE Y June 22, 1965 s. E. MECKLEY 3,190,315

WIRE GUIDE AND TUCKERS FOR WIRE CLOTH LOOMS Filed Dec. 26, 1962 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 m ull 1 lm' m I I I I II? 1 'lll'mlhlh. HHIHHHIH, IM my i m" m n!" I I: INVENTOR.

GEORGE E. MECKLEY A TTORNE Y June 22, 1965 G. E. MECKLEY 3,190,316

WIRE GUIDE AND TUCKERS FOR WIRE CLOTH LOOMS Filed Dec. 26, 1962 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 INVENTOR.

GEORGE E. MECKLEY ATTORNEY June 22, 1965 e. E. MECKLEY WIRE GUIDE AND TUCKERS FOR WIRE CLOTH LOOMS s She ets-Sheet 8 Filed Dec. 26, 1962 NFQE 202.02 whzzx zmmo INVENTOR.

GEORGE E. MECKLEY ATTORNEY VIII 3,l%,316 WIRE GUIDE AND TUCKERS FOR WIRE CLOTH LUUMS George E. Meckley, Abhotstown, Pa., assignor to Hanover Tool Company, Inc, Hanover, Pa, a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Dec. 26, 1962, Ser. No. 247,047 15 Claims. (Cl. 139-127) This invention relates to shuttleless looms for weaving wire screen and to fill wire handling mechanisms therefor.

In a loom of the type for which this invention is intended, a shed, formed by the warp wires, is opened by heddles, and a weft or fill wire is fed across through the open shed by a wire feed-er more fully described in my copending application entitled Fill Wire Feeder, Serial No. 205,329, filed June 26, 1962, now US. Patent No. 3,160,- 178. As the fill wire enters and passes through the open shed, it is necessary that it be guided along its line of travel, and one object of this invention is to provide split fingers which are projected upwardly between the lower warp wires of the shed to form a series of closely spaced side-by-side closed eyelets. Heretofore, in looms of the subject type, the ends of the fill wire were held by grippers until the shed closed over it. However, according to this invention, the shed closes on the fill wire immediately after the fill wire has been fed across the warp and holds it firmly in place, as the fingers separate to release the fill wire and then retract. A knife on the fill wire feeder chops off the fed fill wire and the reed beats it in while the shed remains closed momentarily before starting to reverse, whereupon the warp advances. During the interval in which the next succeeding fill wire is being fed across the warp, and while the lay bar is retracting, a pair of tuckers, one on each side of the loom, advance and bend outer ends of the previously fed fill wire around and tuck them into the apex of the shed which is then open. The subject loom is designed for operation in the range of 250 to 300 pics per minute, as compared with about 240 pics maximum in the comparable prior art. Taking into account the fact that the guide fingers, reed and tuckers all operate, at least in part, in the same region, all must clear one another, and all have very fast oscillating or reciprocating movements, a general requirement is that the parts and motions be as simple as possible, that they work precisely, and that masses and dimensions of the parts be held to the minimum. A more definite object insofar as concerns fingers and tuckers, is that they be driven by mechanism so coupled with the lay bar that both the guide fingers and the tuckers advance as soon as the lay bar starts back to swing the reed and out of the way, and so also that they remain advanced until the lay bar swings up, all to the net result that the fill wire feeding and tucking functions occupy the maximum amount of time during each operating cycle.

Another object is to provide fill wire guide and tucker mechanisms so arranged with respect to one another and with respect to the lay bar, that the width of the woven screen or cloth can be easily varied. Heretofore, in order to change the width of the weave it was necessary to change the reed and the fill wire guides. Also, in at least most instances, the projecting ends of the fill wire were positively gripped, and the tuckers depended upon the reed to move the fill wire against the tuckers in order to produce the first bends of the fill wire ends. According to the present invention, wherein no fill wire end grippers are needed, the fill wire is held by the guide fingers until the shed closes and until the instant before the reed advances up to the line along which the fill wire is fed; the closed shed then held the fill wire while the guide fingers open and while the fill wire is cut, and an instant United States Patent later the reed advances to beat the fill wire ingand a crossed shed holds the cut fill wire as the reed retracts, whereupon the ends of the fill wire are tucked, the tuckers advancing just behind the retracting reed. By eliminating the end grippers and by utilizing certain other principles apparent hereinbelow, including tuckers which accomplish all the bending and tucking of the fill wire ends independently of the reed, the width of the weave may be varied simply by adding or removing outboard warp wires on one side of the loom, installing a new woven wire guide shelf of appropriate width, and then sliding the outboard tucker across the loom to a position adjacent the endmost remaining warp wire, thereby reducing the down time of the loom and making it economical to fulfill short-run orders for odd-width screens.

Insofar as concerns the fill wire guides, the object is to provide two comb-like series of opposed half-fingers, one series being pivotally mounted with respect to the other so that one series of half-fingers may pivot towards and away from the half fingers constituting the other series. It is further intended to mount both series of half fingers on a fixed part of the loom frame by means of links and levers in substantially deformable parallelogram configuration, which form a part of a simple, short and extremely accurate reciprocating supporting and drive mechanism for the fingers into and out of the shed. During the advancing part of the drive motion of the fingers towards the shed, the half-fingers of one series close against the halffingers of the other series to form a series of closed eyelets, and just prior to their retraction from the shed the two series of half fingers separate to open the eyelets and thus release the fill wire from their loose embrace. A still further object is to provide guide fingers which, when positioned to guide the fill wire, are disposed closely adjacent the apex of the then open shed, the purposes here being, first, to shorten the necessary movements of the fingers into and out of the shed and, second, to trap the fill wire, immediately after it is fed between the parallel warp wires as the shed closes before re-crossing of the warp wires takes place.

Another object is to provide tuckers, each including a sliding rod which reciprocates parallel to the warp alongside an outermost warp wire, an inwardly movable finger carried adjacent the free forward end of the rod, and a lay bar actuated drive mechanism for the rod and tucking finger whereby, on the advancing stroke of the tucker mechanism, the free end of the reciprocating rod engages a projecting end of a fill wire and bends it back alongside an outer warp wire and, upon completion of the advance of the red, the normally outwardly retracting tucking finger moves inwardly so as to complete a U-bend and thus tuck the end of the fill wire into the next succeeding open shed. A more particular object is the provision of wire-engaging surfaces on the free ends of the reciprocating rod and tucking finger whereby a projecting end of the fill wire is surely engaged, even though it might be slightly bent or otherwise displaced from its normal position; and, once engaged by the surfaces on a reciprocating rod and tucking finger the end of the wire is trapped so that it cannot slip away from the rod and tucking finger. Also intended is the provision of a simple drive mechanism and motion, whereby during the first and major portion of a forward stroke, the reciprocating rod and outwardly disposed tucking finger are coupled together and advance simultaneously in the longitudinal direction of the warp until further extension of the rod is blocked by a fixed abutment, whereupon the tucking finger is driven inwardly. Conversely, during the first and minor portion of the return stroke, the tucking finger is pulled outwardly without yet moving the rod and, during the remaining and major portion of the return stroke, the

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic side elevationlooking hori zontally across the loom f'romthe inboard side, with con.- ventional loom parts removed, showing the lay bar in back position, fill wire guide mechanism up; guide fingers closed, the outboard tuckerjextended with its tucking finger in; and with the shed open;

FIG. 2-A is a diagrammatic" side'elevation showing the drivelinkage for the heddles, guide fingers and tuckers,

the lower portion of the lay bar and drive cam therefor.

Warp wires W1, W2, of course, pass between wires 30-W of, a reed 30 on lay bar 28. Interdigitating between warp wires W-1,.W-'-2 are a series of guide finger pairs 40 each pair consisting of fingers F-l, F-2 each having a half eyelet e-1 or e-2 which, when the guide, fingers are closed together, form an eyelet e. Finger pairs. 40 being spaced along ahorizontal row, the surfaces surrounding eyelets a form a series of closely spaced cylindrical guides for the length of fill wire 44 then being driven transversely of the warp by feeder 22. Eyelets e are then coaxial with the line of feed, i.e., the feed line of fill wire 44.

During the phase in which the feed of afill wire 44 is beingcompleted, lay bar 28 is swinging up and," by the a time laybar 2 8 and reed 30 reach the FIG. 3 position the feed of fill wire 44 across the warp has been completed, whereupon guide fingers F-2 swing away from fingers I F-l, and the entire guide finger assembly retracts to the FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2, but showing the lay bar approximately /6 along its up stroke, fill" wire guide mechanism about to start down, guide fingers open, tucker approximately /6 retracted, and shed almost closed;

'FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIGS. 2 and 3, but showing the lay bar up, guide mechanism down, guide fingers open, tucker retracted, and shed closed; i

FIG. 4 position. Meanwhile, the heddles have shifted to a momentary dwell position wherein warp. wires. W-l,

W-2 are parallel, thereby engaging over the fed fill wire, and knife 46 on feeder 22 has cut off the inboard end of the fed fill wireu Just as reed 30 beats the fill wire in, the

\ wires W-1 start downwardlyfrom their shed-closed posiremoved from the loom; f

FIG. 6 is a side elevation of a mating pair of wire guide half-fingers removed from their supportsi FIG/7 isa rear elevation of a unit of non-pivoting wire guide half-fingers removed from the 'finger supporting mechanism; 1 v 7 FIG. 8 is a plan view of the outboard tucker fully retracted as in FIG. 4, with finger out, diagrammatically showing the lay bar up;

FIG. 9 is a rear elevation, partly in section of the tucker as shown in FIG. 8; l 1 FIG. 10 is an enlarged fra'gmentary diagram showing the outboard tucker with slide rod fully extended, free end of fill wire bent over, and tucking finger about to pivot inwardly; Y

FIG. 11 is a view similar to 10, but showing the tuckingfinger in; and

FIG. 12 is a timing diagram of the novel features of the loom. i

Before referring specifically to the drawings, it should be noted that only those parts 'of loom with which the invention is concerned are illustrated, and described in detail. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the loom includes conventional supply mechanisms 2 for the warp vwires W 1 W-2, such as a warp beam or creels and the usual warp wire guides and tensioning members, whip roll, take-up rolls, powe r'source, gears, cams, etc., for stepping the warp along. Since these parts are" conventional and well known to those skilled in the art, they are not illustrated nor described otherthan by general reference. The weft or fill wire 44 is repeatedly supplied inJpredetermined lengths from a suitable source, preferably from a feeder 22 as described in my co-pending application entitled Fill Wire Feeder (supra). Although heddles, whose frames are designated 24,26, lay bar 28 and reed 30 are conventional, they are'referred to in more detail because of their close associations and cooperation with the fillwire guide mechanism 32 and tuckers 341and mode of operation with which the invention is concerned. a I

Referring primarily to FIGS. 1, 2, z-A, 3 and 4, the

' andthe heddles are open, in which position warp wires 'W-1, W-2 form a V-shape open shed having an apex A along a horizontal line adjacent the point where the warp wires pass over the free edge 37 of a wire guide shelf 36.

tions and wires W -2 start upwardly, whereupon the parts start b towards their FIG 2 positions. 1

In FIG. 4 it will be apparent that the fed fill wire has been beaten back by reed 30 to a position slightly forward of the free edge 37 of shelf 36 (FIG. 8). In this positioin, the fill wire is designated 44 (FIG. 8, 1O, 11) fill wire 44 having free ends 45 projecting laterally from the outermost warp wires (W -1 in FIGS. 8,10, 11). As IaybarZSstarts back, tuckers'48, driven by laybar 28, move forwardly from a retracted position (FIGS. 4 and 8) until the forward ends of slide rods 50 thereof engage and bend forwardly the ends 45 "of the last-fed fill wire 44' and bend them substantially right-angularly, alongside the outermost warp wires (FIG. 10) whereupon tucker fingers 52 swing inwardly (FIG.-12); and poke the free ends 45 of the fill wire 44- into the then reve'rsely open shed formed by warp wires W-l, W-2. The inward motion I of tucker fingers 52 coincides with the latter part of the back-motion of laybar 28. Then, as laybar 28 starts to swing up again, tucker fingers 52 swing out and, during theremaining upmotion of laybar 28, tucker fingers 52 andslide rods 50, upon which .the tucker fingers are pivoted, retract out of the way of reed 30 as the latter swings to its full up position. I

, Guide fingers and control linkage Referring more specificially to FIGS. 1-7, guide finger pairs 40 are constituted byopposed fingers F-1, F-2,

"units ofwhich are shown enlarged and removed from their cylindrical guide surfaces 60. Corresponding spaces 62 between each ofguide fingers F-l, and between each of guide fingers F-2- accommodate the warp wires, and the free ends 6 4 of the fingers are pointed so astoassure easy entrance between the'warp wires. As shown in FIG. 7., the guide fingers-are formed in units 66 approximately one inch long so that they can be easily cast, machined, and replaced if damaged. Each unit includes a base 68 or 70 which lies against the inner side of a respective angle bar 7 2, 74 to which it is secured by a bolt engaging through an aperture 76. Angle bars 72, 74are connected along their bottoms by a piano hinge 78, the

angle bars and piano hinge extending across the entire width of the weaving part of the loom. All of fingers F-2are 'spring-biased to pivot away from fingers F-1 by compression springs 80 engaged between the opposing faces 82, 84.

Guide fingers F-1, F-2 are forced together, against the bias of springs 80 by stiff leaf springs 86 (FIG. 2) each having a fixed end secured, as at 88, to the outer side of angle bar 74, and each having a free end 90 engaging a cam rod 92. Cam rod 92 has flats 94 terminating in a high surface 96 so that when the cam rod is rotated to dispose high surfaces 96 against the free ends 90 of leaf springs 86, angle bar is rocked clockwise (FIG. 2) about the axis of piano hinge 78, thereby overcoming the bias of compression springs 80 and forcing guide fingers F-2 against guide fingers F-l so that their opposed surfaces 54-56 mate and eyelets e are closed. However, when cam rod 92 is rotated (FIGS. 3 and 4) so to as present flats 94 to free ends 90 of the leaf springs 86, suflicient tension of the leaf springs is released so that compression springs 80 take charge and force fingers F-2 away from fingers F-l, thereby permitting the finger pairs 40 to be moved away from a fed fill wire 44.

Cam rod 92 is rotatably mounted in bearings 98 (FIGS. 25) near the upper ends of links 100, 100', on the upper ends of which links the angle bars 72 which support guide fingers F1 are rigidly affixed by mountings 102. Rigidly affixed to the cam rod are levers 104 to which the upper ends of links 106 are pivoted at 108. The lower ends of links 106 are pivoted at 110 to levers 112 whose lower ends are affixed by collars 114 on a shaft 116, the latter being rotatably mounted by suitable bearings in shaft hangers 118. Also respectively affixed to shaft 116 are arcuate levers 120 whose free ends are pivoted at 122 to push rods 124 (FIGS. 2-4). Thus, by raising push rods 124 from their FIG. 2 position to that of FIG. 3, shaft 116 is rocked clockwise, thereby rocking cam rod 92 clockwise via levers 112, links 106 and levers 104 so as to permit guide finger-s F-2 to spring away from fingers F-l.

Guide finger pairs 40, consisting of all guide fingers F1 and F-2 are shifted from their upwardly extending positions (FIG. 2) to their downwardly retracted positions (FIG. 4) by shifting the links 100, 100 on which they are supported as follows: links 100, 100' are supported by pivots 126, 126' about midway of their lengths on the upper ends of levers 128, the lever 128 being affixed by collars 130 on a shaft 132. Shaft 132 is rotatably supported in suitable hearings in shaft hangers 118 for rocking about an axis X which is the axis of shaft 132, and is rocked by means of levers 134 affixed thereon. Levers 134 are rocked by push rods 136 to which their free ends are pivoted at 138.

The lower ends of links 100, 100' are pivoted, as at 140 to the upper ends of levers 142 whose lower ends are rotatably supported by bearings 144 rotatably mounted on stub shafts 146 mounted on shaft hangers 118 for rocking about an axis Y which is the axis of stub shafts 146 which are parallel to and spaced from axis X. A substantially parallelogram link and lever system is thus established so that, when push rod 136 moves upwardly from its FIG. 2 position to that of FIG. 4, lever 128 is rocked clockwise, thereby driving links 100, 100' diagonally downwardly about a slightly arcuate course so as to retract the then separated guide finger pairs 40 away from fill wire 44, and out of the path of the then upwardly swinging reed 30 and laybar 28.

, By comparing FIGS. 3 and 4, it will be apparent that the slightly arcuate course of links 100, 100' as levers 128 and 142 pass over dead center, lifts eyelets e1 of guide fingers F1 off of fed fill wire 44 during the first phase of the finger-retracting motion.

The guide fingers and associated shaft hanger mechanisms are supported on a sub-chassis 148, the outboard end of which is shown removed from the loom frame in FIG. 5, it being understood that the ends of the subchassis are supported by the sides of the loom frame, which is conventional and therefore not detailed. Also 6 fixedly supported by spaced uprights 150 is the shelf 36 on the free edge of which is secured a hard metal wire 152 to resist wear by the woven wire cloth which passes over it.

Referring to FIG. 2-A, in which the drive mechanism is partly illustrated, push rods 124 for the guide-finger opening linkage and push rods 136 for the guide fingerretracting linkage extend downwardly through the central part of the loom. On their lower ends (not shown) are cam followers which engage cams on the cam shaft from which the lay bar is driven. The push rods 154, 156 for driving the heddle frames are partly shown in FIG. 2-A.

A drive shaft 158 geared to a suitable source of power rotates the cams 160 around which cam follower rings 162 are rotatably mounted and they, in turn, drive rings 164 to which lay bar levers 166 are connected by pivots 168. The laybar has supporting arms 170 mounted by collars 172 on a shaft 174 pivotally supported in bearings, not shown, on the loom frame. The cam shafts for driving the laybar, heddles and push rods for the finger openingclosing and retracting-extending motions are geared together and profiled to provide the motions diagrammed in FIG. 12. Also pivoted, as at 176 to laybar arms 170 are the rods 178 which actuate the tucker mechanisms 34.

The tuckers Tucker mechanisms 34 are each mounted on a base plate 180 slidably supported on cross bar 182 which extends across the loom frame. Each plate 180 has depending flanges 184 disposed on opposite sides of cross bar 182 and is held in adjusted position along the length of the cross bar by clamp strips 186. In specifying the tucker mechanisms, only one will be detailed, it being understood that there is one on the inboard side and one on the outboard side. A pair of bushings 188 are formed on one side of base plate 180 and an upright plate 190 on the opposite side of the base plate contains another pair of bushings 192. In order to permit the base plate, upright plate and bushings to be used for either an inboard or outboard tucker, two sets of the bushings are cast, but only one axially aligned set of bushings is used at any given time. A rock shaft 194, extending across the loom frame above bar 182 is rockably supported on the loom frame in fixed bearings and is driven by levers 196 afiixed thereon and the rods 178 connected at 176 to the laybar arms 17 0 so as to follow the motion of laybar 28, i.e., the tucker is retracted and out of the way (FIGS. 4 and 8) when the laybar swings up and the reed beats in, and the tucker extends (FIG. 10) and tucks (FIGS. 2 and 11) when the laybar swings the reed back out of the way. Rock shaft 194 extends through bushings 188, 192, with clearance, and collars 200 between bushings 188, 192 are splined on the rock shaft by keys engaging in a lengthwise keyway 202 on the rock shaft so that crank arms 204 rigid with collars 200 swing back and forth as shaft 194 rocks.

The free end of crank arm 204 is connected by a crank pin 206 to the rear end of a link 208. Mounted in a horizontal slideway 210 in upright plate 190 is slide rod 50. An ear 214 rigidly secured, as by welding on slide rod 50 loosely surrounds link 208, and further out on slide rod 50 is a pivoted guide and stop collar 216 through which link 208 also slides. The outer end portion of slide rod 50 is laterally offset and split, as at 218, and holds a pivot pin 220. At its outer end, slide rod 50 has a slot 222 with an open mouth 224.

Link 208 has, near its inner end, a stop collar 228 against which one end of a compression spring 230 engages, the other end of the spring engaging the ear 214 rigidly atlixed on slide rod 50. Link 208 loosely slides through an opening 232 in an abutment 234 extending outwardly and rigid on upright plate 190. At its outer end, link 208 is connected to a fitting 236 by a nut 238 which, as will be apparent below, also serves as a stop.

Fitting 236 on the forward end of link 298 is connected by pivot 240 to the arm 242 of tucker finger 52 which functions as a bell crank lever. The forward end of tucker finger 52 slides transversely in slot 222 and along the inner side of the free end of the tucker finger extends a longitudinal valley 244. Also across the free end of tucker finger 244 extends a tranverse valley 245.

The motions of tuckers 48 will be described in connection with only one of them, since theyare mirror- 7 images of one another. In the retracted position (FIGS. 4 and 8) of the tucker, rock shaft194 and crank arm 204 are in their extreme clockwise positions. As laybar 28 starts to swing back, rock shaft 194 rocks-with it counterclockwise as seen in FIG. 4 so that crank arm 204 drives link 208 outwardly. Compression spring 230, being en gaged against ear 214, forces slide rod 50 outwardly until ear 214 engages abutment 234. In this position, the outer end of slide rod 50 and tucker finger 52 are as shown in FIG. 10. As sliderod 50 nears its'fully extendedposie tion, the mouth 224 in its free end and also transverse valley 245'in the free end of the tucker finger engage'the projecting end 45 of the fill wire 44 which,"at that time,

has just been beaten in and advanced one step, warpwise', from the position at which it was fed across the warp, the fill wire then being tightly held in place by the shed which has reversed over it at the 350 point of the FIG. 7

12 diagram. The projecting end 45 of fill wire 44 is bent over, as in FIG. by the final extending motion of slide ,rod 50. Slide rod 50 is prevented from moving further to the inward position of FIGJll, thereby tucking the free end 45 of fill Wire 44' inwardly, into the same open shed through which the next succeeding warp wire 44 is being fed. At that instant, laybar 28 is inits full back position and rock shaft 14has completed its counterclockwise movement (FIG. 2) and has cometo a com: plete stop. When laybar 28 starts to swing up and rock shaft starts to rock back from the FIG. 2 position, its first motion rocks lever 196 and crank arm 204 so as to retract push rod 298 until nut 238 engages the combined stop collar and guide 214, compression spring-230mea'n while keeping ear 214 jammed against abutment 234 and thereby keeping slide rod 50 in its fully extended position.

Slide rod 50 thus does not start to retract until link 203 has retracted relative to push rod 50' sufliciently to rock tucker finger 52 about pivot 220, thereby withdrawing the tucker finger outwardly until it is free of the weave. Then, when nut 238 engages collar 216, slide rod 50 is pulled backrby links 208 to the fully retracted position of FIG. 8, thereby withdrawing the free ends of the tucker push rod 50 and finger 52 from the path of the reed 30 as the latter swings up with laybar 28. The normal mesh of the weave is enlarged for clarity. I

If it is desired to narrow the width of the weave, the required number of warp wires are removed from the outboard side of the loom, i.e., the side opposite to that upon which feeder 22 is mounted, and a Wire guide shelf jacent the outermost warp wire, and clamp strips 186 on the outboard tucker are loosened, the tucker is slid inwardly along cross bar 182 until its inner side is adjacent the outermost Warp wire, and clamp strips "186 are tightened. The feed length of the fill wire is ad justed by mechanism in the feeder 22, and the loom is ready to restart. facile changeability in width of the weave will be apparent to those who have become skilled inthe art by operating prior looms which required major structural modifica-x The revolutionary advantages of this,

' tions, and extensive-downand tune up time to accomplish the same results. I r

The invention is not limited to the rnechamcaldetails of, the structure disclosed and described hereinbefore, but

is intended to cover all substitutions, modifications and equivalents within the scope of the following claims.

I claim: 7 V i 1. In a. loom, of the type-Which includes a frame; heddles and a fabric support'having .an edge extending transversely of the warp and spaced from the heddles; a Weft strand feeder afiixed on one side of said frame for cyclically projecting successive lengths of weft strands of greater length than the width of the warp transversely of the warp along a feed line spaced from said edge towards the heddles; a laybar and reed for beating fed Weft strands towards said edge, a drive for cyclically moving said. laybar and reed along a path between an upTposition whereinsaid reed is disposed between said feed line and said edge, and a back positionwherein said reed is disposed between said feed line and said heddles coincidentally with shed opening andclosing motions of said. heddles; the improvement which comprise: a series of ,weftstrand guide units having. free end portions spacedfrom one'another for interdigitating between warp strands, "means mounting said units on said frame for shifting movementbetween an extended position in which said free end portionsembrace said feed line and ments for relative motion between a closed'position' wherein said guide surfaces mate to define a substantially closed eyelet and an open position wherein said elements -are'separate, said guide surfaces, in the closed position of said elements and the extended position of said units defining a series of axially spaced substantially cylindrical guides coaxial with said feed line, means for'maintaining said-elements closed throughout the feed motion of said feeder andfor opening said elements coincidentally with the termination of the feed; Weft strand end tucker means mounted on said frame for movement'between an extended position in which tucking elements thereof are disposed in the path of the reed between said feed line and said edge anda retracted position in which said tucking elements are disposed out of the path of the reed and on that side of the edge which lies remote from the feed line, and means timed with the motion of the laybar and reed for extending and retracting said-tucking elements respectively and coincidentally with the back and up motions of the reed; and laybar. i

. 2. In a loom of the type which includes a frame; hed-. dies and a fabric support havingan edge extending transversely of the warp andspaced from the heddles; a weft strand feeder affixed on one side of said frame for cyclically projecting successive lengths'ofweft strands of greater length than the .width. of the warp transversely of the s'aidsupports to one another for sidewise movement towards and away from" one another, first and second rows of. guidefingers respectively mounted on said first and second supports and having'free end portions projecting therefrom, the free end portions of the guide fingers in one-row lying opposite respective free end portions of the guide fingers'in' the other row and moving between closed and open positions against and away from one another upon corresponding movement of said supports, said guide 9 fingers having opposed indentations therein arranged to form a row of weft strand guide apertures upon closure of the fingers, means mounting said assembly for shifting movement along a path fixed with respect to the frame between retracted position in which the free end portions of the finger are remote from said feed line and clear of the reed path and an extended position in which the free end portions of said finger embrace said feed line, means for so moving one of said supports relative to the other so as to maintain the fingers closed during feed of the weft strand and to open the same upon completion of the feed, means for shifting said assembly from extended to retracted position upon opening of said fingers and for returning the assembly to the extended position concurrently with the back motion of the reed, a tucker mechanism comprising a push rod disposed along an outer side of a warp edge in the region of said fabric support and having a free end facing the heddles, means mounting said push rod on said frame for reciprocating motion with respect to the frame towards and away from the heddles between an extended position in which the free end thereof is disposed between said feed line and said fabric support edge and a retracted position in which said free end is disposed on that side of the edge which lies remote from the feed line, a tucking finger having a free end disposed adjacent the free end of the push rod, means mounting the tucking finger on the push rod for movement therewith and oscillating movements with respect thereto between an inner position in which the free end of the tucking finger lies inwardly of said warp edge and an outer position in which the free end of the tucking finger lies on said outer side of said warp edge, means operatively connected between said push rod and tucking finger for normally maintaining the latter in said outer position, and drive means for sequentially moving said push rod and tucking finger from said retracted position to the extended position and then swinging the tucking finger inwardly concurrently with the back motion of the laybar and reed, said drive means operating to swing said tucking finger outwardly and then retract said push rod and tucking finger concurrently with the up motion of the laybar and reed.

, 3. In a loom of the type which includes a frame; heddles and a fabric support having an edge extending transversely of the warp and spaced from the heddles; a weft strand feeder affixed on one side of said frame for cyclically projecting successive lengths of weft strands transversely of the warp along a fixed feed line spaced from said edge towards the heddles; a laybar and reed, the improvements which comprises: a series of weft strand guide units having free end portions spaced from one another for interdigitating between warp strands, means mounting said units on said frame for shifting movement between an extended position in which said free end portions embrace said feed line and in the path of the reed, and a retracted position in which said units are disposed remotely from said feed line and out of the path of the laybar and reed, means timed with the laybar for cyclically extending and retracting said units respectively and coincidentally with the back and up motions of the laybar and reed, the free end portions of each of said units being constituted by separable pairs of elements having cooperating weft strand guide surfaces thereon, means mounting said elements for relative motion between a closed position wherein said guide surfaces mate to define a substantially closed eyelet, and an open position wherein said elements are separate, said guide surfaces, in the closed position of said elements and the extended position of said units defining a series of axially spaced substantially cylindrical guides coaxial with said feed line, and means for maintaining said elements closed throughout the feed motion of said feeder and for opening said elements coincidentally with the termination of the feed.

' 4. In a loom of the type which includes shed forming means and means for sequentially projecting successive lengths of weft strands through open sheds along a fixed lateral feed line transverse of the warp, the improvement which comprises: a first elongate finger support extending substantially parallel to said feed line, a first row of guide fingers afiixed on said first support and having laterally spaced free end portions extending generally upwardly therefrom, the free end portions of said guide fingers having working surfaces facing the general direction in which the sheds open and having laterally aligned indentations therein, means mounting said first support on a fixed part of the loom for shifting movement relative thereto along a path between an upwardly extended position in which the indentations in the first row of guide fingers lie adjacent said feed line and a downwardly retracted position in which the free end portions of said first row of guide fingers lie remote from and below said feed line, a second elongate finger support substantially parallel to the first support, means movably mounting the second support on the first support for movement towards and away therefrom in directions generally transverse to the lengths of said supports, a second row of guide fingers on said second support having upwardly extending laterally spaced free end portions substantially opposite respective ones of the free end portions of the guide fingers of the first row, the free end portions of the guide fingers of the second row having working faces with indentations therein respectively opposing and cooperating with the indentations in the working faces of the guide fingers in the first row to form a row of substantially closed eyelets along said feed line when the second support is disposed towards the first, means for cyclically shifting the first support between said extended and retracted positions, and means for cyclically moving said second support towards and away from the first, whereby to form said row of eyelets when said first support is extended so as to guide a weft strand along said feed line, and whereby to move the free end portions of the guide fingers in the second row away from the first so as to free the same from a fed weft strand disposed along said feed line upon termination of the feed of the weft strand.

5. In a loom of the type which includes a frame, means for sequentially projecting successive lengths of weft strand along a fixed feed line transverse of the warp, the improvement which comprises a weft strand guide finger assembly comprising first and second elongate supports, pivot means connecting said supports for relative swinging towards and away from one another about an axis parallel to the lengths thereof, first and second rows of guide fingers respectively mounted on said first and second supports and having free end portions spaced along said rows and projecting away from said axis, the free end portions of the guide fingers in one row lying opposite respective free end portions of the guide fingers in the other row and moving between closed and open positions against and away from another upon corresponding movement of said supports, the free end portions of the guide fingers having opposed indentations therein arranged to form a row of weft strand guide apertures upon closure of the fingers, means mounting said assembly on the frame for shifting movement along a path fixed with respect to the frame between a retracted position in which the free end positions of the fingers are remote from said feed line and an extended position in which the free end portions of the fingers embrace said feed line, means for so shifting said assembly, and means for swinging one of said supports relative to the other whereby to open and close said fingers.

6. In a loom of the type which includes a frame means for sequentially projecting successive lengths of weft strand along a fixed feed line transverse of the warp, the improvement which comprises a weft strand guide finger assembly comprising first and second elongate supports, pivot means connecting said supports for relative swinging towards and away from one another about an axis parallel to the lengths thereof, first and second rows of guide'fingers respectively mounted on said first and sec-' ond supports and having free end portions spaced along said rows and projecting away from said axis, the free end portions of the guide fingers in one row lying opposite,

respective free end portions of the guide fingers in the other row, and moving between closed and open positions against and away from another upon corresponding movement of said supports, the free end portions'of the guide fingers" having opposed indentations, therein arranged to ,form'a row of weft strandguide apertures upon closure of thefingers, means mounting the first support on the frame for shifting movement'along a path fixed means for so shifting said first support, and means for swinging one of said supports relative to the other.

7. Weft strand guide finger mechanism for a loorn, comprising first shaft means, bearing means mounting said first shaft means for rocking about a first axis, second shaft means, bearing means mounting said second shaft means for rocking about a second axis parallel to and spaced from the first axis, first and second lever means'having corresponding ends respectively connected to said first and second shaft means and having free ends extending outwardly therefrom, rigid link means pivoted at'spaced points thereof to the free ends of said first and second lever means, a first series of guide fingers having base portions rigidly afiixed on said link means and having free end portions spaced along a row substantially parallel to said axes, a second series of guidefingers having free end portions lying opposite respectivefree end portions of the guide fingers of the first series and having base portions, pivot means parallel to said axes connect- 7 ing the base portions of the first and second series of guide fingers whereby the free end portions of the guide fingers of the second series may swing in opposite directions towards and away from the free end portions ofthose-in the first series, the free end portions of the guide fingers of the first and second series having opposed working faces with indentations therein respectively disposed along lines parallel to said axes, means for rocking one of said shaft means whereby to shift said link means and the for, beating fed weft strands from said line to an" in position spaced from said feed line towards said fabric support edge, a tucker mechanism comprising a push rod disposed along an oute'r side of a'warp edge in the region of said fabric support and having a free end facing the heddles, means mounting said push rod on said frame for reciprocating motion with respect to the frame towards and away from the heddles between an extended position in the free end'thereof is disposed between said feed line and said fabric support edge and a retracted position in which said free end is disposed on that side of the fabric support edge which lies remote from the feed line, a normally retracted tucking finger having a free end disposed adjacent the free end of the push rod, pivot means mount I ger having weft strand end'engaging surfaces on the free end thereof, and drive means for sequentially extending the push rod,'extending the tucking finger, retracting the tucking fingenand retracting the push rod.

11. The combination claimed'in claimd10, the strand engaging surfaces on'the free end of the push rod defining a cleft having a mouth open towards the heddlesQthe strand-engaging surfaces on the free end of said push 'rod defining groove therein and merging with the strand-engaging surfaces on the free end of the push rod.

, 12., In aloo m of the type which includes a frame, warp strand handling means on said frame including heddles anda'fabricsupport having an edge extending transversely of the warp and spaced from the heddles, means 'for cyclically projecting successive lengths of weft strands of greater length than the width of the warp transversely r through open sheds along a fixed feed line spaced towards the heddles from'the edge, and a laybar and reed having an up motionfor beating fed weft strands from a said feed line to an in positionbetween said feed fixed guide fingers thereon along a path between two extreme H positions, and means for swinging the second series of guide fingers about said pivot means whereby to closeand open the free end portions of the guide fingers in the second series against and away from the free end portions of those of the first series.

8. The combination claimed in'claim '7, one of ,said lever means being longer than the other, whereby the free. end portions of the guide fingers of the first series shift along an arcuate path.

9. The combination claimed in claim 7, the meansvfor swinging said second series ,of guide fingers including spring means engaging between the base portions of the guide fingers and biasing theguide fingers of thesecond series to swing the free end portions thereof in one of said opposite directions relative to the othenand a drive for overcoming the bias of said spring means so as. to swing the free end portions of the guide fingers offthe second series in the other of said opposite directions, said drive including a cam shaft turnably mounted on said ,link means, and cam follower means connected to the base portions of the guide fingers of the second series.

10. In a loom of the type which includes a frame, warp strand handling means on said frame including heddles and a fabric support having an edge extending transversely wards the heddles fromvthe edge, anda laybar and reed line and said edge and 'abacl motion for clearing the same from the feed line of the weft, a tuckermechanism comprising a push rod disposed along an outer side of a warp edge in the region of said fabric support and having a free end facing the heddles, means mounting said push rod on said frame for reciprocating motion with respect to the frame towards and away from the heddles between an extended position in which the free end thereof'is disposed between said feed line and saidfab'ric support edge and a retracted position in which said free end is disposed on that side of'the edgetwhich lies remote from' the feed line, a tucking finger having a free end disposed adjacent 7 side of said warp edge, means operatively connected between said push rod and tucking'finger for norm-ally maintaining the latter in said outer position, and drive means moving with the laybar for sequentially moving said push rod from said retracted posit-ion to the extended position and swinging the tucking finger inwardly coincidentally with the back? motion of the laybar, and for swinging the tucking finger outwardly and then retracting said push rod coincidentally with the up motion of the laybar.

13. A weft strand tucking mechanism for aloom, comprising a support,-a' push rod having front and rear ends, means slidably mounting said push rod on said support for lengthwise reciprocating movement, a stop on said support for limiting the forward movement of the push rod,

' a lever having two arms, a pivot mounting said lever on said push .rod for swinging about an axis transverse to the length of the push rod, one arm of the lever constituting a tucking finger extending transversely of the forward end of the push rod and the other arm extending laterally of said pivot, a link pivoted to the other arm of the lever and movable in the fore-and-aft direction of the push rod, whereby upon forward motion of the link relative to the push rod, the tucking finger swings transversely of the push rod in an inner direction and, upon rearward motion of the link relative to the push rod, the tucking finger swings transversely of the push rod in an outer direction, means for reciprocating said link in the fore-and-aft direction of the push rod, and a lost motion connection between said link and lever including spring means normally biasing said link rearward relative to the push rod, whereby the tucking finger is normally biased towards said other direction and whereby during an initial part of forward motion of the link, said link and push rod move forwardly together until said push rod engages said stop and, during a final part of said forward motion, said link overcomes the bias of said spring means and swings said tucking finger inwardly and during an initial part of the rearward mot-ion of the link, said spring means maintain said push rod against said stop until said link swings said tucking finger outwardly and, during a final part of the rearward motion of the link, said push rod is pulled rearwardly therewith.

14. A weft strand tucking mechanism for a loom, comprising a support, a push rod having front and rear ends, means slidably mounting said rod on said support for lengthwise reciprocating movement, a stop on said support for limiting the forward movement of the push rod, a lever having two arms, a pivot mounting said lever on said push rod for swinging about an axis transverse to the length of the push rod, one arm of the lever constituting a tucking finger extending transversely of the forward end of the push rod and the other arm extending laterally of said pivot, a link disposed alongside the push rod and having a forward end pivoted to the other arm of the lever, a reciprocating drive connected to the rear end of the link for moving the link in the fore-and-aft direction of the push rod, whereby upon forward motion of the link relative to the push rod, the tucking finger swings transversely of the push rod in an inner direction and, upon rearward motion of the link relative to the push rod, the tucking finger swings transversely of the push rod in an outer direction, means for reciprocating said link in the fore-and-aft direction of the push rod, and a lost motion connection between said link and lever including a compression spring engaging between the link and push rod normally biasing said link and push rod respectively rearward and forward relative to one another, whereby the tucking finger is normally biased to swing towards said outer direction and whereby during an initial part of forward motion of the link, said link drives the push rod forwardly through said compression spring until said rod engages said stop and, during a final part of said forward motion, said link moves against the bias of said compression spring and swings said tucking finger inwardly and, during an initial part of the rearward motion of the link, said compression spring maintain said push rod against said stop until said link swings said tucking finger outwardly and, during a final part of the rearward motion of the link, said push rod is pulled rearwardly therewith.

15. In the combination claimed in claim 14, a stop collar on the push rod, said link slidably engaging through the stop collar, and a stop on the link forwardly of the collar for limiting the rearward motion of the link relative to the push rod.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 366,473 12/38 Italy.

DONALD W. PARKER, Primary Examiner.

RUSSELL C. MADER, Examiner. 

1. IN A LOOM OF THE TYPE WHICH INCLUDES A FRAME: HEDDLES AND A FABRIC SUPPORT HAVING AN EDGE EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY OF THE WARP AND SPACED FROM THE HEDDLES; A WEFT STRAND FEEDER AFFIXED ON ONE SIDE OF SAID FRAME FOR CYCLICALLY PROJECTING SUCCESSIVE LENGTHS OF WEFT STRANDS OF GREATER LENGTH THAN THE WIDTH OF THE WARP TRANSVERSELY OF THE WARP ALONG A FEED LINE SPACED FROM SAID EDGE TOWARDS THE HEDDLES; A LAYBAR AND REED FOR BEATING FED WEFT STRANDS TOWARDS SAID EDGE A DRIVE FOR CYCLICALLY MOVING SAID LAYBAR AND REED ALONG A PATH BETWEEN AN "UP" POSITION WHEREIN SAID REED IS DISPOSED BETWEEN SAID FEED LINE AND SAID EDGE, AND A "BACK" POSITION WHEREIN SAID REED IS DISPOSED BETWEEN SAID FEED LINE AND SAID HEDDLES COINCIDENTALLY WITH SHED OPENING AND CLOSING MOTIONS OF SAID HEDDLES; THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISE: A SERIES OF WEFT STRAND GUIDE UNITS HAVING FREE END PORTIONS SPACED FROM ONE ANOTHER FOR INTERDIGITATING BETWEEN WARP STRANDS, MEANS MOUNTING SAID UNITS ON SAID FRAME FOR SHIFTING MOVEMENT BETWEEN AN EXTENDED POSITION IN WHICH SAID FREE END PORTIONS EMBRACE SAID FEED LINE AND IN THE PATH OF THE LAYBAR AND REED, AND A RETRACTED POSITION IN WHICH SAID UNITS ARE DISPOSED REMOTELY FROM SAID FEED LINE AND OUT OF THE PATH OF THE LAYBAR AND REED, MEANS TIMED WITH THE LAYBAR FOR CYCLICALLY EXTENDING AND RETRACTING SAID UNITS RESPECTIVELY AND COINCIDENTALLY WITH THE "BACK" AND "UP" MOTIONS OF THE LAYBAR AND REED, THE FREE END PORTIONS OF EACH OF SAID UNITS BEING CONSTITUTED BY SEPARABLE PAIRS OF ELEMENTS HAVING COOPERATING WEFT STRAND GUIDE SURFACES THEREON, MEANS MOUNTING SAID ELEMENTS FOR RELATIVE MOTION BETWEEN A CLOSED POSITION WHEREIN SAID GUIDE SURFACES MATE TO DEFINE A SUBSTANTIALLY CLOSED EYELET AND AN OPEN POSITION WHEREIN SAID ELEMENTS ARE SEPARABLE, SAID GUIDE SURFACES, IN THE CLOSED POSITION OF SAID ELEMENTS AND THE EXTENDED POSITION OF SAID UNITS DEFINING A SERIES OF AXIALLY SPACED SUBSTANTIALLY CYLINDRICAL GUIDES COAXIAL WITH SAID FEED LINE, MEANS FOR MAINTAINING SAID ELEMENTS CLOSED THROUGHOUT THE FEED MOTION OF SAID FEEDER AND FOR OPERATING SAID ELEMENTS COINCIDENTALLY WITH THE TERMINATION OF THE FEED; WEFT STRAND END TUCKER MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME FOR MOVEMENT BETWEEN AN EXTENDED POSITION IN WHICH TUCKING ELEMENTS THEREOF ARE DISPOSED IN THE PATH OF THE REED BETWEEN SAID FEED LINE AND SAID EDGE AND A RETRACTED POSITION IN WHICH SAID TUCKING ELEMENTS ARE DISPOSED OUT OF THE PATH OF THE REED AND ON THAT SIDE OF THE EDGE WHICH LIES REMOTE FROM THE FEED LINE, AND MEANS TIMED WITH THE MOTION OF THE LAYBAR AND REED FOR EXTENDING AND RETRACTING SAID TUCKING ELEMENTS RESPECTIVELY AND COINCIDENTALLY WITH THE "BACK" AND "UP" MOTIONS OF THE REED AND LAYBAR. 